The Gold Museum website has been designed to meet the needs and answer the concerns of different user groups. The menu bar above these lines allows you to access any page with just one or two clicks (you must have Javascript activated).

English website is smaller than the Spanish version. Clicking a link in Spanish will take you to a page in that language.

If your query is not answered on those pages or in this section, where we have brought together answers to the most frequent questions received in our mailbox, do not hesitate to write to us at
wmuseo@banrep.gov.co.

There is also a mailbox for dealing with complaints and claims:
quejasyreclamos@banrep.gov.co

The Concept of this Website
This website sets out to provide a lot of textual information that is not available elsewhere, and serves to whet the appetite for a visit to the real Museum, something that cannot be replicated using multimedia technology. We aim to serve a particular audience with each chapter: people who are preparing a visit to the Museum, those who want to have a quick look at the exhibitions or to view them again virtually, people wishing to go in depth into subjects connected with pre-Hispanic archaeology or to do homework on them, or schoolteachers, or readers of the Bulletin who are interested in anthropology, ethnography and archaeology.

I want to subscribe to the Museum's Bulletin.
The Boletín Museo del Oro (dealing with Colombian anthropology and archaeology matters) has been published free of charge on our website since March 2000. Anyone who surfs the web can access it. If you register your e-mail address on our mailing list, you will be notified when new issues are published (in Spanish, twice a year).

I want to buy books, catalogues and souvenirs of the Museum.
The Museum has a first-class shop in Bogotá, which is well up to the standards of the best museums in the world. We do not sell by mail or through the Internet.

Books can be obtained from any Banco de la República office anywhere in the country. See the Banco de la República publications page.

Banco de la República holds the copyright for all texts, images, videos, animations, sounds, and the design of the Gold Museum website. The conditions stated below should be met before any of these may be used by another person or entity.

I want to use texts and images for educational purposes.
Texts and images taken from the Gold Museum website may be used for exclusively educational, non-commercial purposes, and in limited numbers of copies (photocopies for a classroom, for example).

I want to put an image on my website.
You can use images taken from our site on your own website, provided that this is not done for commercial purposes (the sale of replicas, for example) and that you mention the fact that the image belongs to the Gold Museum - Banco de la República, with a link to our site.

I want to copy some texts.
You can use short quotations from texts on our website, provided that you mention the source: www.banrep.gov.co/museo. It is advisable to add the date, since pages could have been updated. The copying of whole or extensive articles or presentations is not authorised, except as stated under the "educational purposes" section.

I want to use material from this site in some other way.
Before a text, image, video or other item taken from these pages can be used in an electronic publication other than the web (CD-ROM, video, printed version, etc.), it is essential that authorisation is obtained in writing from the Museum. This can be done by contacting us on fax (571) 2847450. You can obtain publication-quality photographs and the respective copyright by contacting our Public Services Section.

I want to obtain replicas of archaeological objects.
The Gold Museum has a collection of certified goldwork replicas, which are available from our shop. We can guarantee that these are faithful to the art and design that have made the work of pre-Hispanic goldsmiths so notable. Each one has a countermark, indicating that it is a replica of an original that is in the Gold Museum collection.

I want to sell or donate archaeological objects to the Museum.
Under the terms of Decree 833 dated 26 April 2002, "goods which constitute archaeological heritage may not be traded and may not be transferred under any title by the holder thereof. Anyone possessing the same may not export them or take them out of the country without prior permission from the competent authority" - which is the Colombian Anthropology and History Institute, a branch of the Ministry of Culture.

The Gold Museum will accordingly not acquire any object of an archaeological nature. We have never given valuations of such items.

Could the object I have be false?
There are very many replicas, some of them good, some average and some very bad, and large numbers of people have unfortunately been deceived and swindled by them. Gold Museum personnel are not authorised to issue certificates or express opinions, either verbally or in writing. Our advice is to admire pre-Columbian art in public museums, not in your living room or wardrobe.

I have a gold coin.
People frequently think of the Gold Museum when they want to sell, buy or donate an ancient coin, a gold coin or a commemorative medal. The Museum's collections nevertheless consist exclusively of objects dating from prior to the discovery of America by Europeans.

In the case of old banknotes and coins, we suggest you contact the Banco de la República's Numismatic Collection at the Casa de la Moneda (Mint), or Banco de la República directly if you wish to obtain any of the commemorative medals and coins it has produced.

What is the price of gold in Colombia?
People often think of the Gold Museum when they want to find out about the gold market - but we have nothing at all to do with this! Consult domestic precious metal buying and selling prices at the Banco de la República.

The "Pre-Hispanic Societies" section of this website will give you much information about Colombian archaeology. You will also find valuable information on the "Thematic Exhibitions" page. We recommend you pay a visit to the Museum itself, either in Bogotá or one of the branches, so you can see the original objects for yourself and enjoy them.

Or you can search our entire website:

You might also like to consult the "Virtual Library" of the Banco de la República's Luis Angel Arango Library. There you will find general texts online, as well as a basic bibliography of Colombian anthropology. Enter one or more words of your choice and click on "Search".